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Alchemy 
For thousands of years alchemists tried to change worthless metals into precious ones not only by chemical means, but by changing their states of consciousness. The truth about alchemy is that wisdom and insight were the real goals of their work. On an intuitive level, alchemists knew that metals could not be transmuted unless the very essence of their own consciousness underwent profound transformation. In this way, they anticipated the advent of modern chemistry and physics.
In addition to chemical formulas alchemists created a body of timeless psychological wisdom. Fearing that these secrets might fall into the wrong hands, they went to great lengths to disguise their recipes in surrealistic images, odd sayings and strange parables. Deciphering this symbolic language requires great imagination as well as a thorough knowledge of mythology and depth psychology. The work of C. G. Jung represents one of the most impressive attempts to translate the works of the alchemists. By introducing their art into modern science, alchemy was shown to be more valuable as a model of psychology than a prototype for chemistry. There are many common elements that form the basis of alchemy and Jungian psychology. Both ascribe to the existence of a conscious world that is brimming over with the potential energy that goes into the physical expression of matter and minds. Lead, iron, mercury, silver and gold simultaneously represent metals and states of consciousness. Gold symbolizes both the purest metal as well as a very highly refined state of mind. The alchemists referred to this uncommon gold as the philosopher's stone. The work in these processes of transmutation and transformation begins by identifying the prima materia, the first and lowliest order of mind and matter. Alchemists hinted at the most disgusting places where this first matter might be found. Psychologically, this starting point begins in what Jung called the Shadow. This archetype is that part of our unconscious that contains unprocessed bits and pieces of psyche: foibles, traumatic memories, habits, etc. It's our dark side. Once we bring these inferior contents into conscious awareness we have formed a crude level of organization from which we can begin to apply the alchemical operations. Although the number and order of these operations vary from one alchemist to the next, the basic ones most often include the following: Calcinatio, solutio, coagulatio, sublimatio putrifactio, mortifactio separatio, coniunctio. The first four operations associate with particular psychological processes or what Jung called functions. Calcinatio, for example, represents the intuitive function; solutio associates to feelings; coagulatio to the sensate function, and sublimatio corresponds to the thinking function. Each person's personality is comprised of a combination of these functions, some being naturally more operational and others needing psychological alchemy to bring them to a more mature level of operation. Applying specific operations requires skill and timing. For our purposes this is a psychological process, what Jung called the individuation process, which involves active imagination, reflection and exploration of our dreams. In its infancy the personality is represented by lead, but as this prima materia matures it goes through three major stages of development. The three basic metals that mark this progress of mind and matter is lead in the first stage of nigredo, silver in the second stage called albedo and gold in the final stage of Ruebo. These stages are signified by the colors black, white and red; in terms of consciousness, the infant ego moves from total darkness to intense brightness and finally to a marriage of both. In each stage the four elements of fire, water earth and air are being manipulated to bring out the essential energy needed to effect powerful changes on the prima materia. To perfect each of these elements there must be a balance struck between the masculine forces of spirit and the feminine forces of soul. In other words, each element and its function must be made strong and flexible. Moreover, each element will need to attain an integrity that allows it to join with other elements without forfeiting its own integrity. There are three essential conditions in which this transformation occurs. These are: Salt - representing the ground of being upon which the elements become constituted. It is generally thought to be feminine in nature; Sulfur - is the spark that ignites them into movement; it has a masculine character; Mercury - possesses both masculine and feminine characteristics. It enables the elements to fuse and yet simultaneously retain their own individuality. Psychologically, gold represents the perfect harmony of all metals while the philosopher's stone symbolizes the marriage between earthly substances and spiritual ones. Gold is the perfection of ego and the philosopher's stone is the union of ego with the spirit of self. This royal marriage of opposites is simultaneously a union that takes place on three planes: within the individual psyche, between the individual and collective society and between the individual/collective body and the divine, spiritual world. I have therefore named the psychological bodies that correspond respectively to these three unions or conjunctions the Real Self, the Individuated Self and the Divine Self. With each successive transformation of the personality we achieve a more expansive awareness of ourselves, the world and god. |
